Helping Kids Face Anxiety with Confidence When I first released the book, Hello, Anxiety, someone commented, “I need a book called, Goodbye, Anxiety!” And honestly? I get it.  Anxiety can feel like an avalanche of “what ifs.”  It’s messy and loud and hard to control. Of course we want it gone. But here’s what I’ve learned, both as […]

Have you ever heard the line Behavior is communication? We know that kids’ behavior is telling us something (adults too, for that matter), but it can be ridiculously difficult to figure out what disruptive behavior actually means. Over the last twenty years as a trauma therapist, educator, and mom of neurodiverse kids, I’ve become a […]

A guide for parents, educators, and helping professionals I walked into my 11-year-old’s room to find him using an electronic device in a way that went against our family agreement. I can’t remember if he had been on it too long or downloaded an app he wasn’t supposed to, but I know I felt a […]

Stress is not bad. Life involves stress, and working from a brain-based or trauma-sensitive lens does not mean removing all stressors. In fact, our stress response gives us the cortisol and adrenaline we need for navigating daily life. The little bit of oomph provided by those get-stuff-done chemicals is much-needed! Living with chronic or toxic […]